5x6 : Draw With Me
by MechanicalToxicity
Summary: A short story about 5 learning how to draw by 6. :


Whenever 6 had a vision, even if it was about the most unimportant of thing, he felt that he had to talk about it to the others, particularly 1 and 2. 2 was fascinated by the young ragdoll's ability to predict events, and he knew how devastating and damaging to his fragile mental health some of these visions were. So, he listened to 6 every time, comforting him if he was too shocked. On the other hand, 1 would always consider 6's words nonsense and would have 8 force him back to his drawing corner.

To drown his sorrow, 6 would dip his fingers in the bottle of ink and start drawing on every single bit of paper he got his hands on; it didn't matter if it used to be an important parchment or if it was a scrap paper. He could make art on anything. He enjoyed these creative ventures, he found them relaxing. 6 believed the only way he could express his fascination with the Source, was to draw it again and again. Sometimes, though, he would draw scenes from his visions as well. Drawing them was a way to get them off his head, then slowly forget them as the drawings would get covered by other drawings or would get lost in the enormous structure the Cathedral was. Occasionally, 5 visited him along with 2. They were curious about 6's drawings and when they asked to take his drawings for further examinations, he would happily give them. 6 was grateful that they were interested in his art and they knew it. Thus, every time they visited him, an absurd euphoria aroused in him and he forgot about everything else that troubled him, everything else that scared him.

6 was happier though, when 5 spent time with him. The way he was welcomed was by a hug; more like a squeeze actually. He would just smile down at 6 and return the hug. 5 paid attention to 6 while he was drawing, and 6 appreciated that greatly. He would also make random comments, explaining the techniques and the qualities of ink and 5 would listen carefully, nodding at what he thought was most important; he wasn't that much of an art savvy. He knew very well how much 6 needed some company and some support and he was there to provide them, when he wasn't busy helping 2 with his inventions or doing chores for 1.

One day, when 5 visited 6, he was welcomed in a weirder manner. "Hello 6." Said 5 with a soft, calm voice.

"Hello 5." 6 smiled back and hugged him.

"What are you working on today?"

"Eh… No.. Nothing yet." Whispered 6 as he started examining 5's fingers.

"Huh? What are you doing?"

6 didn't reply. He just gave 5 a look and smiled. 5 was confused and lifted his palm and stared at it, trying to find what 6 was looking for.

"Is anything wrong with them?" He held his palms forward.

"N.. no." 6 smiled. "They are okay." He turned his back to 5 and disappeared for a moment, leaving 5 still perplexed. He awkwardly started looking at every single drawing of 6's, until 6 returned, holding a big piece of paper.

"Oh, I see. You're going to try out a new technique and you want me to observe, right?"

6 nodded negatively and laid the paper down, stabilizing the rounded edges with pins, then sat down, in front of it and tapped the wood. "Here."

5 walked forward and sat next to 6, who brought forth a big bottle of ink, half empty, but still filled with enough ink for a good number of drawings. 6 opened the cork lid and nodded at 5.

"What? What do you want me to do?"

"Your fingers. Dip them in the ink." 6 was smiling, eager for 5 to do so.

"Okay…" said 5 as he reluctantly dipped the edges of his fingers into the black liquid. "What now?"

"The paper. Draw."

"But… I can't draw." 5 looked straight into 6's mismatching optics.

"Everyone can draw."

6 took 5's hand and slid it along the paper, making small geometrical shapes. With his free hand, 6 pointed at one of his drawings of the Source and let go of 5's now ink-stained hand. "Draw…. Draw it."

5 looked at the drawing, then at 6. He nodded, smiling and dipped his fingers in the ink again.

Under 6's watchful eye, 5 sketched the markings of the Source on one of the circles 6 had drawn using his hand. He was careful to get them completely correct and please the artist, who now had taken the place of a teacher. When he finished, 6 nodded happily.

"Now… Something difficult."

"Difficult? 6, I'm no real artist. This was easy, I admit, but…" 6 covered 5's mouth with his hand.

"Try."

"But what shall I draw?"

"The… The Emptiness. You've been there."

"Yes… I have been there but… It's too difficult."

"I wish I could go out there… See… See the world."

"6…"

"Depict it… On this paper… P... Please." 5, not wanting to disappoint 6, dipped his fingers and started sketching the image of the Emptiness that was stamped in his mind; rubble and debris everywhere, Machines which completed their duty and lay inactive among the corpses of the humans, and on the horizon, the Factory. He shivered at this mental image.

Lines and curves, along with tips and help from 6 started forming the scenery that was in 5's mind. 6 was pleased at 5 both for attempting and for doing good work. Of course he was helping, but 5 did the most work; 6 was only guiding him. After some time, it was done.

"Is… Is this what it looks like?" asked 6.

"Yes… Pretty miserable isn't it?"

"It's pretty."

"Pretty?"  
"Yes. Everything is destroyed, yet… yet it seems in the right place." 5 understood what 6 meant. As dangerous and depressing the Emptiness might have been, it was a balanced and peaceful-looking place. A place whose eerie silent could relax even the most worried of spirits.

"And… And that…" 6 pointed at the shape that was supposed to be the Factory.

"That… Is a forbidden place, 6."

"Why?"

5 found it hard to explain how dangerous this place was to the young ragdoll.

"Uhh… It's just that… It's dangerous." 5 said and 6 fixed his eyes on his.

"Promise… Promise to never go there…"

"I promise." Smiled 5.

"And… If you want… Draw with me again… You… You draw very good."

"I had a good teacher."

6 smiled back and hugged 5. 5 returned the hug and stood up, lifting 6 up.

"I'm going now… I would like some rest."

"Oh… Okay." 6 let go of him. 5 patted him on the shoulder and left the corner. Left 6 looking at him before he turned his gaze back to the drawing. He smiled and folded it gently. He would make space for it on one of the walls. Space which would never be covered by anything else, for this drawing meant a lot. 5 meant a lot.


End file.
